Life As A Potter
by D.H. Spy
Summary: The Potter family going through life. Harry, Ginny, James, Albus and Lily. One chapter, discontinued. Up for adoption?
1. Halloween

**_Author's Note:_**

_**Hello readers!**_

_**This is my Harry Potter fanfic! I couldn't find, or didn't find, a fanfic that I wanted about Harry Potter **_

_**after Harry and Ginny got married, so I thought I would ****write my own! Hope this fills a hole if any of you found it too! **_

_**I have made sure that I uploaded it on Halloween, quite pleased with my timing!  
><strong>_

_**As always, please review! DH :)**_

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter **

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><p>Life became more difficult after Lily was born. Now they had three children, Ginny had to give up her job completely. She didn't like this, she loved her job, but Harry couldn't resign, and they couldn't send the children to her parents every day, so it was the only option. Part of this was that she didn't want to see her mother every day. Of course, Ginny loves her mother, but she sometimes goes over the top and is <em>very <em>nosy, and is getting increasingly so with age.

Harry had to find a way to come home from work earlier on weekdays to help Ginny with the children. This usually meant that he had to work extra hard or go into work early in the morning. This was difficult considering the nature of his work. If he was in the middle of hunting down a dark wizard, he couldn't just leave he had to stay on until they found them or they gave up. This lead to numerous arguments between Harry and Ginny as Harry often arrived home late, leaving Ginny to do everything. She argued that as Head of the Auror Office, he can delegate 'missions' to other aurors, especially if the mission was just before he has to leave and if he knows that he won't get back in time. Harry argued back that as Head of the Auror Office, he had to go out and find the dark wizards; otherwise he will be seen as lazy and will lose his job. Also, that quite a lot of the time they do the research all day and then only near the end of the afternoon they go out and find the wizard. The arguments were resolved however with a "I'm sorry, I know you can't be here all the time," from Ginny and a "I'll try to get home sooner," from Harry.

The arrival of another small Potter also caused problems for the existing children. James had already experienced having a sibling, and he didn't like it. He didn't let it show, but he loved attention, he revelled in it. So imagine his displeasure when Albus came along, and now Lily was here, he hated it. He thought that his parents had betrayed him, that he wasn't good enough. He loved them, and all they do is bring in more distractions. He didn't see Lily as someone else to play with, but as someone who would take away his parents love.

Albus was more accepting. For one, he was only one years old and he had a calmer and more kind temperament. But also, he already had to share his parents with James, so he was used to it. But, of course, it did take him a little while to come round to the idea of Lily, and to start to play with her. When he started to play, he didn't stop. He often didn't leave her side for hours at a time, he found her fascinating. He didn't understand how someone was so small. He also enjoyed playing with her toys, most of the time he would play with her, but regularly, whilst she was sleeping he would play with them himself. He would never take them away when she wanted to play with them, that was what James did.

The family do love Lily, but sometimes what they had to do made them overlook the fact that they loved her. It was only a matter of time before Ginny would have to leave her job, with James getting more boisterous and Albus being so small she needed to be with them. Harry needed to finish work earlier, to be with his family and to get some rest. James needed to learn how to share and be forgiving. Albus just needed a friend and some new toys to play with; his mind was too clever for his now.

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><p>It was cold and dark outside, the end of October. The Potter children were overly excited and it was taking a lot of effort and determination for Ginny to get them all to sit down to eat their dinner. Harry was late. Again.<p>

Harry longed for home. He had been at the office since 7 o'clock that morning, it was now half past 5. He was already meant to be home, but the Minister had ordered that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, especially the Auror Office, stay until at least half-past eight. They were expecting an influx of owls, floo messages and phone calls from muggle borns and muggle savvy witches. It was the night where witches, wizards, magical folk and witchcraft was accepted, even encouraged, it was Halloween. Although many witches and wizards loved this night; they could go out in their normal clothes, sell wizarding food and maybe even perform some magic, there were some who took advantage and ruined the night. These weren't the usual muggle teenagers, egging cars and buildings, these were dark wizards. They would use it as an excuse to terrify muggles, to torture and kill them sometimes. The Minister, in many of the Aurors' views, was overreacting, there hadn't been a serious incident since before the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry had been in the office for about 13 years now, and there had only been minor incidents, and most of them accidents involving drunk witches and wizards.

Harry still had to stay on though. He would just have to meet Ginny at The Burrow.

"Where's Daddy?" Albus asked his mother from his seat at the table.

"He's still working, Albus. He'll be home soon." Ginny replied.

"Why isn't he back?" James asked, annoyed that he wasn't home.

"Because, James, he has to work. And a bit later tonight."

"Why?"

"It is a special night. One for witches and wizards, and Daddy has to make sure that there are no naughty people." Ginny had learnt to control her temper a bit more nowadays. The children seemed happy enough with that response and continued to pick at their dinner. Whilst Ginny was preparing to go to The Burrow for the Halloween party Molly had planned, she heard her husband's voice.

"Ginny?" He said. She wheeled around, she hadn't heard him come in, but the children were being loud. She didn't see him anywhere.

"Harry?" She replied, confused.

"I'm over here," Harry said, from the fireplace. A little bit exasperated, they had recently connected to the Floo network, and Ginny still hadn't got used to it.

"Oh, of course." She said, then turning to the children, "Kids, why don't you go and put your shoes on? And go and pick some toys you want to take."

There was some protest, especially from James, but they all did as they were told.

"You didn't have to do that," Harry said from behind Ginny.

"Oh, yes, they would just ask lots of questions. And they need to do that anyway." Ginny explained. "Why are you in our fireplace and not at home?"

"It's Halloween isn't it? Kingsley doesn't anything to go wrong. So we all have to stay until later on."

"Are you sure that there's no way you can't sneak off?" Ginny asked.

"No, I can't. I asked him I fi could but I have to set an example. I can't tell the other aurors to stay and then bunk off. So, Ron and I are going to meet you at The Burrow, he's talking to Hermione as we speak."

"Does this mean that you can come home early tomorrow?" Ginny asked hopeful.

"Hopefully. I'll see you later." Harry cut off the connection, he had to get back to work.

Ginny expected this, but she wanted to go to The Burrow together. She missed him greatly, and sometimes hated his job. But she knew that anything else would bore him, and if he was home a lot she wouldn't enjoy seeing him as much.

Lily came running into the kitchen.

"Mummy, my shoes won't do up!" She wailed, very distressed.

"What do you mean?" Ginny was very confused, they specifically bought shoes that she could do up.

"They won't do up!" Lily wailed again, plonked herself down on a seat and thrusted her feet forward. She was right, whenever you got close fastening them, they sprang open again. She tried this several times, whilst trying to console her distraught daughter. When she was about to give up and use magic, she noticed a sniggering James standing in the doorway.

"James, what have I told you about using magic?" Ginny was on the verge of getting angry.

"It was an accident!" James exclaimed.

"No, I think you wanted to cause trouble for your sister." Ginny didn't doubt that it was an accident, he couldn't control his magic, but she believed that James liked to cause trouble any which way he could. Like his father and grandfather.

At this comment James looked sheepish. He was, ultimately, scared of his mother and didn't want to disappoint her. Ginny took out her wand and magicked the shoes. They were now ready to go.

The family arrived at The Burrow via Floo 5 minutes later. (They would've been quicker, but the Weasleys' fireplace was in use.) They were greeted by a front of family, warmth and nice smells. Molly Weasley was the first to greet them, she came rushing over and enveloped them each in turn in a large bear hug.

"Hello dears, how are you all?" She said, clearly very happy to have them all together.

"We're fine," Ginny replied, instantly relaxed in her old home.

"No Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked, concerned.

"Oh, he's coming along later. He's still working." Ginny answered.

"He does work a lot doesn't he?" Mrs. Weasley thought aloud. "Does that mean that Ron is working too?"

"Yes, they're coming together." Hermione said from where she was crouched on the ground with Lily and Hugo. She stood up to greet Ginny.

"Sometimes I really hate the Auror Office." Hermione said as she hugged Ginny.

"Me too." Ginny replied.

The Burrow was decorated grandly for Halloween. The living room had large spiders hanging from the ceiling, there was a large cauldron in a mock fireplace at the other end of the room, with butterbeer brewing in it. There were orange and black streamers everywhere, and an enchanted scarecrow talking to guests.

When Ginny and Hermione entered the kitchen, they found many of the adults hiding away. There were many of the Weasleys, including Arthur, hiding from his wife. Ginny was happy to see her brothers. There were many people sat around the table, Charlie (he had come over to stay from wherever he had been), Bill and Fleur, George and Angelina, Percy (without Audrey, she was in the living room) and Andromeda Tonks. Judging by the bottle of Firewhiskey and empty glasses in front of the Weasleys, they were going to need alcohol and courage to get through the night. This didn't bode well.

Hermione and Ginny sat in the two seats closest to them, in between Charlie and Angelina. The current conversation was about Quidditch, a topic that Ginny was very passionate about.

"I'm just saying, the Chudley Canons should've lost." George was arguing.

"Why?" Charlie retorted.

"Because they're not as good as they used to be and Puddlemere are so much better." Angelina replied for George.

"Thank you! Finally someone who sees sense! See Charlie?" George said.

"Nope. The Canons are better." Charlie remained stubborn.

"Boys, boys, it's only Quidditch." Mr. Weasley attempted to calm them down.

"Only Quidditch? It's not only Quidditch! It's injustice!" George exclaimed in response to his father.

"Well, I personally think it's complete justice." Charlie said.

"Do you really think that Charlie?" Ginny interjected, not being able to stand it any longer.

"Yes, I do. The Canons have been waiting a long time for this." Charlie replied.

"A very long time, I wonder why?" George said.

"The Canons, I'm afraid Charlie, are rubbish." Ginny said with a tone of finality.

"You did not just say that." Ron had just stepped inside, with Harry behind him.

"Hello, Ron." Hermione said and went over and gave him a kiss. She was glad to get away from the argument. It seemed that only Charlie, George, Ginny and Angelina were interested, the rest looked bored. They were all glad of the distraction.

Harry came over and stood behind Ginny, his hands on her shoulders.

"Sorry, I'm late," He said, mainly to Ginny. "Did I miss anything?"

"Only a dreary and repetitive argument about Puddlemere United and the Chudley Canons." Percy answered, he sounded very tired and bored.

"Again." Bill added.

"It's an argument that has yet to be settled!" George said.

"Shall we leave it for tonight though?" Mr. Weasley suggested. George and Charlie grumbled under their breath, no doubt about how their opposing teams were better than the other.

"Why are you all out-Ron! Harry!" Mrs. Weasley had entered the kitchen, to see her youngest son and favourite son in law. She routinely pulled both of them into a bear hug.

"Hello Mrs. Weasley," Harry said fondly, hugging her back, she was the closest thing he had to a mother. She then put him at arm's length.

"What have I told you? Call me Molly!" She said with mock anger.

"Sorry, force of habit."

"Now, all of you, come through into the other room! We have games to play!" Mrs. Weasley was clearly very excited and happy to have all of her existing family under one roof.

They all followed her through, not daring to disagree. Harry thought he saw Percy pick up the Firewhiskey and tuck it inside his jacket.

When everyone was gathered in the living room, there was barely any space to move. Mrs. Weasley had organised many games to play, mainly for the excitable children. There was wizarding apple bobbing, the apples were enchanted, therefore more difficult to get. Harry, like many of the other parents, wasn't overly interested in the games. The evening drifted past slowly, filled with noisy children and some conversation. About halfway through, Harry noticed Ginny slip into the kitchen. No one else had seen, so he saw it as a safe opportunity to talk to her.

She was standing at the stove, with her back to him, ladling something into a mug. She felt someone behind her, staring at her. She turned her head towards him, half expecting it to be one of her crazy brothers preparing to pounce on her. It was Harry.

"Hello stranger," She said kindly. "Butterbeer?"

"Yes please. Stranger." He said, putting the mug in her hands down and wrapping her up in a warm embrace.

"I've missed you." He said, smelling the sweet smell of her hair.

"And me you," She agreed, pulling away and moving over to the table. Harry followed and sat down opposite her.

"How are you feeling?" Ginny asked him, knowing how difficult Halloween was for him.

"Sad, happy, thoughtful. But mostly sad." He answered, a vacant look in his eyes.

"Thoughtful?" Ginny asked, confused.

"Yes, what would life be like if he hadn't killed them? Would I still be me? Would I have met you, Ron and Hermione?" He answered. "Probably not, I wouldn't have needed Mrs. Weasley's help getting to platform 9¾."

"Hey, you would've done. You would have turned out differently, you would've had a better childhood, but I would still love you." Ginny said, reaching across the table to pat his shoulder.

"Hmm." He agreed, nodding slowly.

"And, you have a great life now, even without them. Yes, everybody wants their parents around, but you have three lovely children, a job you love and a family who will always be there for you. Life doesn't get much better." She tried to reassure him, to make him less said.

"You forgot a beautiful wife." He said, smirking.

"Uh huh, now, come on. Finish the butterbeer and let's go back out there." She said, now taking control seen as he had got happier. This happened every year, and even though she never got angry with him for being so sad, when he started to come out of it she made sure he couldn't sink back into it.

Harry grumbled at Ginny's last statement.

"Come on!" She said, playfully tugging on his arm and pulling him.

Harry felt better, she always made him feel better, especially on the 31st of October. He would visit their grave tomorrow, then he could show the children Godric's Hollow.

All was well.


	2. Redecorate

_**Author's Note:**_

**_H_****_ey there! Sorry for the late updation (should be a word)._******

**_This chapter is much shorter than the one before, but I didn't think that I could add anymore to it._**

**_If you have any prompts for this story, they are welcome, I am suffering from_**

**_slight writer's block with this story, and you might want to see something happen!_**

**_To do so, you can write it in a review, or send me an email at: .uk_**

**_Hope you enjoy! DH :) x  
><em>**

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><p><span>Chapter 2 - Redecorate<span>

It was a cold, early, mid-November morning and Harry woke up, realising that something was different. He turned his head, and saw an empty half of the bed, there was no sheet of glistening red hair, no pyjama clad body slowly rising and falling.

_Where is she?_ He thought to himself, she was usually there, she generally woke up later than him. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table, it was half past six. Ginny would never get up at this time. He got out of bed, pulled on a jumper and went downstairs. He peered into the children's bedrooms as he went, seeing if she was in there.

_The children aren't ill or playing up…What is she doing?_

He reached the ground floor and felt that it was warmer and he could smell tea. He made his way into the kitchen. The table was covered in magazines, the pictures moving, there were swatches of fabric, pieces of wall paper, pots of paint and sketches on scrap pieces of paper spread out among it all. And, sat at the end of the table was a very tired looking Ginny. She had her feet on the chair, drawn up to her chin, staring at the table and was sipping tea. Ginny looked up and smiled faintly.

"Ginny, what are you doing?" Harry asked, confused.

"Planning to redecorate." She said simply.

"Oh?" Harry asked, still confused.

"The house is too dark, and slightly creepy." She said, just as simply as before.

"Yes, I'll give you that." He said, Number 12, Grimmauld Place did need some work. They had decorated when they moved in, but that was eight years ago.

"I thought that we could start next week." Ginny stated, it wasn't a debatable matter, more of an order.

"Next week?" Harry was slightly startled, he had only heard of her plans two minutes ago.

"If we want it ready for the Christmas party." Ginny said, as if she thought that Harry would've realised that.

"Oh, yes, the Christmas party." Harry said. Harry never looked forward to the Dumbledore's Army Christmas Party. He enjoyed it when it came, he loved his friends, but he didn't enjoy the planning or Ginny's mood around the time.

"Yes, the Christmas Party. I think I've got the date around here somewhere…" Ginny said, rummaging through her papers. "Ah, yes, here, the 20th of December. The Saturday before Christmas. You have that week off don't you?"

Harry nodded, looking at the invite mock-up she'd made. It had all the details, time, date, place, etc. Harry also noted that it said: 'Children are welcome!' He groaned slightly in his head at this. Most of his friends had children now, and many had more than one. It was going to be crazy, no civilised talking.

"Children can come too?" Harry asked nonchalantly, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"Oh, yes. I decided that it would be good, then they can all meet and then have some friends before they go to school, and it will be easier on Mum and Dad." Ginny said, not taking her eyes away from the paper she was scribbling on.

"Why?"

"Because, Harry, if there aren't children allowed, then we, Ron and Hermione and George and Angelina will ask Mum to babysit. That's seven children she will have to look after. Twelve if we invite Percy and Bill too." Ginny explained, slightly exasperated by her husband's lack of logic and understanding.

"Seven's no more than she's raised! And she loves it, you know she does." Harry replied.

"Harry," Ginny looked up at him, with pleading in her eyes, "Do you want to owe my mother? And some people won't be able to find babysitters. I heard that no one will look after Luna's children because…well, they are as crazy as she is. And I really want to see all of my friends, Harry, it's been ages."

Harry's resolve crumbled at this. He realised at that moment just how much he had missed his friends. And also, if their children became friends, he might see them more often. Yes, he didn't want children to be at the party that much, but he could pay Teddy in chocolate frogs to entertain them.

"Fine. But only because I love you so much." Harry said, smiling at Ginny, sitting down next to her, looking at her plans. The new house would look great, they were going to wallpaper over the Black family tree replace it with pictures and portraits of things they'd done and people they knew and have known, something they had been wanting to do for a long time.

"That's just an idea, it doesn't have to look like that, I was tired when I drew it." Ginny said, worried about the quality of her work. Considering that she was tired, it was very good, she had even drawn sketches of people that they wanted on the wall, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Fred.

"It's great, Ginny." Harry said. "What about the kids' rooms?"

"Oh, I thought I'd let them decide. I can never tell what they really like. Although, I have a theory that it will be Quidditch, dragons and magical flowers." Ginny said with a smile.

_She's lying when she says she doesn't know what the kids like, _Harry thought fondly, _that's exactly what they'll want._

"Shall I go and get them then? They should be up by now anyway." Harry asked rhetorically, more to himself than Ginny, who wasn't really listening anyway.

He turned and smile towards her as he left the room.

All was well.

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><p><em><strong>AN: I think that 'All was well' might finish every chapter, I think that it rounds it off nicely. Also, it tells you it's the end. :)**_

___**Please review, and prompt if you have any**_ _**ideas! I am going to write the Christmas Party scene/s, so if you have any ideas**_

__**_about that then you know what to do! Sorry if I am being pushy... DH :) x _**


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